West Virginia Sends Pitt Home Early

Pitt had been in the Big East championship game seven times in the past eight years. So, it almost seemed automatic to assume Pitt would be there once more.

Of course the one time the Panthers didn't make it, they lost in their first game to go home early.

It's feast or famine for Pitt. And this time the Panthers didn't so much as sniff a salad.

West Virginia 74, No. 2 Pitt 60: Recap | Box Score | RPI | Scores

The third time was a charm for West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl. They out-hustled and out-fought Pitt to take control of the game and frustrate Pitt. They threw different defensive looks at Pitt in the game. Shifting from man to match-up zones to even using the 1-3-1 zone to keep Pitt from being able to get inside as easily.

West Virginia's Alex Ruoff, admitted after the game that the Mountaineers wanted revenge for the way Pitt had manhandled them in their two meetings during the season. Something you would expect in a rivalry.

Devin Ebanks, West Virginia's freshman forward, has emerged late in the season. Ebanks played all 40 minutes of the game and went for 20 points and seven rebounds. He continually attacked inside, and went after any rebound and loose ball. Coach Bob Huggins needs to send Kelvin Sampson and Indiana some more thank you cards for having a phone problem. West Virginia landed Ebanks after Indiana released him from his letter of intent following the firing of Sampson.

You can expect that most pundits will point to the fact that DeJuan Blair played only 18 minutes for Pitt and fouled out of the game as the reason Pitt lost. Do not believe it. Blair sat for 16 minutes in the first half, because he picked up two early fouls. Pitt only trailed by two at the half.

Blair was largely ineffective in the second half, in part because the West Virginia defense frustrated him by keeping the ball from getting inside to him. The Mountaineers also were very aggressive at crashing the boards, and not being intimidated by Blair's presence inside. That led to frustration for Blair and the late fouls that had Blair foul out with under two minutes left.

The win puts West Virginia in the semifinal of the Big East tournament. It can only improve the seeding for West Virginia, regardless of what happens.

For Pitt, it is unlikely that it will cost Pitt their No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. With teams like Oklahoma and Kansas losing, and Pitt still holding the No. 1 position in RPI, it would be a shock if losing to a rival once in three games, that is also heading to the NCAA Tournament cost Pitt seeding.

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North Carolina State's Ben McCauley (R) shoots over University of Maryland's Dino Gregory (2nd R) during the first round of the ACC college basketball tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia March 12, 2009. REUTERS/Chris Keane (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

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University of Maryland's Landon Milbourne (1) shoots around North Carolina State defenders during the first round of the ACC college basketball tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia March 12, 2009. REUTERS/Chris Keane (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

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